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<title>Which Are You- the Hero or the Villain? by ElizaSam</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23758009">Which Are You- the Hero or the Villain?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElizaSam/pseuds/ElizaSam'>ElizaSam</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shadowhunters (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alec does... what for a job...?, Construction Worker Magnus, Falling In Love, Heros vs. Villians, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Roommates, Undercover</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 17:09:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,558</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23758009</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElizaSam/pseuds/ElizaSam</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Against his better knowledge, Magnus develops feelings for his stoic and secretive roommate Alec.<br/>But what exactly is it that Alec does? And what happens when Magnus gets caught in between?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Magnus Bane &amp; Alec Lightwood, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Malec - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>33</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Which Are You- the Hero or the Villain?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What kind of hours do you keep?” </p><p>Magnus blinked. “Hours?”</p><p>“Yeah, hours. Are you up at crazy hours of the night? Or are you a supremely early riser?” The tall man in front of him gestured to the small bathroom which would be shared by both rooms. “The shower is on the other side of my room, so I can hear when the water is running.” </p><p>“Is this really your top priority in a future roommate? Their shower schedule?” Magnus asked, an incredulous look no doubt plastered across his face. Like really, who was this guy? “I could be an axe murderer or a criminal on the run… and you care about showering.” </p><p>Dark eyes flicked down his body, quick but not exactly subtle. The man renting out a room in the apartment, Alec, was definitely not straight. Bi perhaps, like Magnus himself, or gay, but no man ever checked out a potential roommate that blatantly without some level of interest. </p><p>To be fair, Alec wasn’t hard on the eyes either. He was tall- ridiculously tall- and clad head to toe in black. On any other person, the dark jeans, loose shirt, and leather jacket wouldn’t have been enough to catch Magnus’s attention for more than a second, but coupled with the man’s dark features and smirk… well, Magnus was only human. </p><p>Broad shoulders shrugged, pulling the leather tight against solid muscles. “My last roommate took showers at four in the morning. Like, two hour long showers. Our water bill was through the roof, and I doubt I got a full night’s sleep in the three years we lived together.” </p><p>Magnus couldn’t stop the wince before it crossed his face. “He sounds like a dick.”</p><p>“He was my brother.” The finality of the statement left no room for questions.</p><p>“Right. I tend to be a night owl, but I would definitely shower before it got too late. I work in construction, so I’d mostly just shower when I get back from work. Besides that, I like to think of myself as pretty chill.” </p><p>“And you’re good with rent?”</p><p>“Yep,” Magnus nodded, reaching for his wallet. “I can pay the first two months up front. Beyond that, you’ll have it on the first day of the month.” Their hands brushed lightly as the money was passed, Magnus only able to register a moment of heat before the moment was gone. </p><p>“The room is empty and clean. You’re welcome to move in whenever, and there’s a key on the counter. My room is locked whenever I’m gone, but you can use anything in the kitchen or living area. Any questions?” </p><p>“Don’t think so. I’ll move my stuff in tomorrow.” </p><p>The tall man nodded, studying Magnus’s face once more. Molten eyes stared into his own, and there was a contemplative wrinkle in Alec’s forehead. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.” </p><p>Grabbing the key on the counter, Magnus had scarcely turned back to close the front door by the time Alec’s bedroom door was sliding closed. He caught a glimpse of what looked like a bow before the door swung shut. A hobby, maybe?</p><p>Not that it mattered. Magnus just needed somewhere to live, not a best friend and certainly not a boyfriend. So what if his new roommate was tall, dark, and handsome? Emphasis on the “dark” part. And yeah, going off the bulges in his jacket, Alec worked out regularly, and maybe he had bouncy, pinkened lips but-</p><p>No, his lips were completely normal. </p><p>They definitely weren’t plump or full. Nope, and they were a totally basic tan shade… not flushed as if recently bitten. </p><p>They certainly weren’t anything special. </p><p>So why did the man sporting them seem to be? </p><p> </p><p>~</p><p>Four months into rooming with Alec, Magnus noticed his schedule changing. </p><p>Alec was, to put it bluntly, a pretty basic guy. Well, in his routine at least. He was an early riser and would be gone by the time Magnus woke at 7 am, only the scent of coffee remaining in the apartment. He was absent until around dinner time. Just as Magnus was coming in, Alec was headed out to the local gym, a large bag slung over his shoulder. He’d be there for hours and returned sweaty and hungry.<br/>
Their only interactions occurred midway through the evening. They’d fallen into an odd sort of rhythm as Alec fixed dinner, hair still damp from the shower. Magnus tended to spend his evenings watching a movie or TV show, and his position on the couch gave him a prime seat for observing his very hungry and very attractive roommate. </p><p>Their first meeting hadn’t done Alec justice. The man was goddamn <i>beautiful<i>. His hair was black as night and curled slightly at the ends as it dried in the cool air of the apartment. The locks were thick and luscious, dropping onto his forehead. From the shampoo in the shower, they’d smell like guava… not that Magnus had gotten the chance to confirm it. Alec’s skin was pale in an ethereal sort of way, and it glowed with health in the kitchen’s lighting. Smooth muscles pulled beneath the surface, sculpting him from head to toe, and hair crawled its way up his calves and thighs. A few dark tuffs showed above the neckline of Alec’s shirts and left Magnus scrambling for a cookie or sip of water- anything to keep from launching himself at his roommate and licking across it. </i></i></p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Really, it was unfair for one man to look so good, so tempting. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>But, Magnus had managed to reel himself in thus far. Casual questions and comments had pulled Alec from his shell, and he’d begun to sit on the sofa as he ate as opposed to disappearing into his room. Often they’d sit and chat once the food was gone, the television forgotten. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Alec, it would seem, had an extremely dry sense of humor, and it was just the sort that sent Magnus rolling on the ground in laughter. Then, a hint of a smile would crack through the somber façade, and Alec would join in. He laughed low and slow, like tires rotating over gravel. It was deeply sensual, and the two would find themselves in a continuous circle, pushing the other into another round of humor. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Alec was also deeply considerate, not that he’d acknowledge it out loud. He’d bring a cup of hot cocoa to Magnus before settling down to eat, or he’d fetch the remote closer so that Magnus didn’t have to move. One night, Magnus’s frigid toes had brushed against Alec’s leg. Though nothing was said, a soft blanket appeared draped over the back of the couch the next day. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>On really long days, when the movie was little more than a lullaby and the couch proved too comfy to move from, though he heard and remembered nothing, Magnus would wake beneath a heavy comforter and with his face resting on a soft pillow. There also tended to be a muffin or some other pastry on the table in front of him, though the apartment was always empty. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>These were the moments that slowly settled in Magnus’s chest, warm nuggets of comfort and care whose actions spoke louder than their words. Alec was not warm or fuzzy. He didn’t write Magnus little notes or bring home flowers, but he kept a spare phone charger by the couch for when Magnus’s phone inevitably died. He’d begun stocking Magnus’s favorite brand of tea which was only sold at a market across town, of which Magnus couldn’t remember ever mentioning. Alec could tell when Magnus needed to vent, and he’d immediately join him on the couch to listen, a crinkled brow in attendance. And when Magnus’s shoulder’s relaxed and his hands finally sat still in his lap, Alec would pat his thigh with a large, warm hand and send him a comforting smile. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>They’d never done anything physical, at least not in the romantic sense. There were occasional brushes as they passed or the press of a palm in support, but the two had never hugged or cuddled. Yet, despite that, Magnus could feel as Alec slowly owned more and more of his heart. He knew it was a rookie mistake, to fall for your roommate, and he knew that he’d never act on it for fear of messing up the softness and comfort that came with their current relationship. But Magnus also knew that the man in front of him was a good one, a rare one, and he selfishly wanted more. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>He wanted to trace the muscles in Alec’s shoulders, to push his nose into the dark locks and smell guava. Magnus wanted to know how it felt to be wrapped in those solid arms and how Alec’s skin would taste when glistening with sweat. He wanted Alec, but more importantly, he wanted Alec to want him back. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>And then, when Magnus had finally accepted both his feelings for Alec and the slim chance of them being returned, things began to change. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>The kitchen no longer smelled like coffee in the mornings. Alec’s gym bag lay forgotten beside the door, and his water bottle began to smell like mildew. Alec would be gone for nights on end, only to trudge in at 11 pm exhausted and dirty and disappear into his room with nothing more than a tight smile in Magnus’s direction. He stopped going to the grocery store, and Magnus began stocking for both, worried about Alec getting enough to eat. It was deeply concerning, and Magnus’s heart ached as he watched the man he loved be run ragged. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Alec’s job had always been somewhat of a mystery. He spoke little about it, and Magnus knew better than to ask. He always worked from an electronic pad with the brightness turned all the way down and a privacy screen on. It was password protected… which Magnus might have found out when he “bumped” into it laying on the counter, and the background was nothing more than a black screen. Alec, he always assumed, probably worked for the government in some high-tech secret job. It’d make sense, from the dark wardrobe and lack of physical evidence. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>But nothing made sense the day he returned to find Alec trembling in the kitchen.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>~ </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Hey, you’re home early.” </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Standing against the kitchen counter, Alec was clutching his electronic pad, knuckles white from the grasp. He stood ram-rod straight, and a look of barely contained restrain was displayed across his face. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Magnus took a step forward, pocketing his keys. “Alec? Is everything okay?”</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Alec just stared, not a muscle moving. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Alec, you’re starting to scare me.” Less than a foot away from the frozen man, Magnus reached a hand out to rest on Alec’s forearm. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“What-” he stopped, shocked when Alec jerked away from the touch. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“How long have you known?” The words were spoke through clenched teeth. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“What? How long have I known what?” Magnus reached out again. “Alec, what are you talking about?”</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Long fingers slapped Magnus’s hand away. “How long have you known that I’m The Falcon?”</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“What- a falcon? Like the bird?” </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Alec scowled, turning away from Magnus’s shocked and hurt face. “Don’t play stupid, Magnus. I know you too well. Have a little respect for our relationship.”</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Bile rose in Magnus’s throat. This was not the acknowledgement of feelings he had imagined. “I- Alec, I have no idea what you are talking about.” Moving slowly, Magnus walked toward the couch. The same couch they’d spent countless nights on, watching movies and sharing smiles. “Can we- can we talk about this? You’re not making any sense.” </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Slamming his tablet onto the counter, Alec stalked over to the living area. He towered over Magnus’s sitting form and glared. “Don’t you have any decency?” He sneered. “After everything we’ve been through, are you seriously going to sit here and lie to my face? Are you going to pretend that you never looked at me the way I looked at you? That you didn’t play me like a fiddle? That you actually ever even cared?” </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Alec,” Magnus began, swallowing loudly. “I care for you more than- more than I have admitted. But I’ve never lied. I would never lie- not to you.”</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“You disgust me, Magnus.” </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>The words cut through Magnus’s chest like a frozen knife. His heart, previously thumping from Alec’s confession, was being laid out on the pavement and carved into tiny pieces. He’d heard those words from so many people, but he’d never expected them from Alec. He’d never guarded himself from Alec.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Alec, please,” Magnus pleaded, his voice cracking from emotion. “I don’t know what I did, but give me a chance to explain. Whatever it is, we can figure it out. We can-”</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Who is your father, Magnus?” Alec asked, his voice scarily calm. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“My- my father?”</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Yes, Magnus Bane. Who. Is. Your. Father?”</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Uh, um…” The words jumbled in Magnus’s mouth, and his tongue felt huge. “He’s- it’s- his name is Asmodeous. What does- Alec, what-”</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Alec was silent. The heels of his shoes echoed on the tile flooring as he retrieved his pad and clicked it open. “Is this your father, Magnus?” Alec shoved the tablet into Magnus’s face, hand trembling. Whether from anger or something else, he couldn’t tell. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>It took Magnus’s eyes a moment to adjust to the screen he’d previously be unable to see. The page open was filled with lines upon lines of minuscule text, much of it coded, and highlighted statistics filled out the left side. However, in the upper right-hand corner was a photo of an older man. He had long hair, by men’s standards, and a somber face. Dark, piercing eyes glowered from behind the screen, and his thin mouth was twisted into a smirk.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“That can’t be my father. That guy looks like he could kill me from just a photo, and- and he’s-”</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Large hands yanked the tablet away, locking the classified information. Slowly, Magnus’s eyes raised to meet Alec’s. “That, Magnus, is the man we know as Deus. I’ve been tracking him for years when low and behold, I find out that his son is under my own goddamn roof.” </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Al-”</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Alec stepped closer, once again leaning over the smaller man’s form. “Tell me that’s a coincidence. Tell me that you’re not one of his pawns.” Alec was close enough that Magnus could feel the heat of his breath wash over his own lips. “Tell me that I didn’t fall for the devil in disguise.” </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Alec- I- I didn’t-” The words weren’t functioning correctly. Magnus was shaking from head to toe, the shock of what appeared to be his father’s alter ego overwiring his brain. He could see Alec, no more than a few inches from his face, and Magnus could see how the threat and darkness in his eyes were covering hurt and betrayal. Betrayal that he hadn’t done. “Alec, you have to understand-”</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>A white cloth appeared and was pressed against Magnus’s nose and mouth. He tried to hold his breath, but the need for air soon overpowered. As the vision began to fade from the corners of his eyes, Magnus registered the hand clasping the back of his neck. It was the first time Alec had held him. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“I’ve heard enough, Magnus. I’ve been fooled by you for long enough.”</i>
  </i>
</p>
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